If anyone has not done this race before, I strongly suggest you get it into your calendar for 2020. As many of you know I can’t run up hills and only make guest appearances at cross country events. However for some reason this is one of my favourite events; low key, very scenic and cake at the finish (close second to Eridge on the cakes front).
Luckily I was on babysitting duty at the XC on Saturday, this meant that I had a significant advantage over other Harriers and was relatively fresh, I wouldn’t normally be first Harrier in an XC!
The course has a short section on the road before taking in several footpaths, fields and an evil hill through a wood. You then have a very steep downhill with a Harriers dodgy photo competition half way down; winner and showing his support of Januhairy (yes this is a thing) goes to Mick Barstow (photos on the website). The course then takes in a lap around Penshurst place before a quick downhill sprint to the finish.
A total of 30 Harriers finished (results below) well done to all! Cathy and I both narrowly missed out on a podium and occupied the 4th place. It looks like Andy, Steve and Stella all won their age groups so congratulations there. I’m not sure how Bob scores cross country PBs, but i’m sure there were many course bests out there.
Special congratulations to all those who did the XC the day before, I certainly would not be capable of running quickly if I had!
Mike King
221 finishers
| POS | # | NAME | M/F | M/F Pos | CAT | Cat Pos | FINISH TIME |
| 4th | 445 | Mike King | M | 4th | SEN | 2nd | 00:30:19 |
| 5th | 435 | Andrew Howey | M | 5th | V50 | 1st | 00:30:22 |
| 11th | 411 | Kieran Fitzpatrick | M | 11th | SEN | 6th | 00:31:34 |
| 13th | 506 | James Sarre | M | 13th | V40 | 2nd | 00:32:33 |
| 15th | 403 | Andy Eames | M | 14th | SEN | 8th | 00:32:40 |
| 22nd | 337 | ADAM Dennis | M | 20th | SEN | 12th | 00:34:02 |
| 23rd | 656 | Robert Winter | M | 21st | V40 | 5th | 00:34:08 |
| 26th | 6430 | Matt Clark | M | 24th | V40 | 7th | 00:34:23 |
| 28th | 434 | Simon Howden | M | 26th | V40 | 9th | 00:34:32 |
| 30th | 195 | Mick Barstow | M | 27th | V50 | 3rd | 00:34:40 |
| 39th | 421 | Cathy Gill | F | 4th | SEN | 4th | 00:35:44 |
| 41st | 192 | Tev Austin | M | 37th | V60 | 1st | 00:35:47 |
| 48th | 495 | Richard Quartermaine | M | 43rd | V40 | 12th | 00:36:21 |
| 64th | 515 | Hugh Stephenson | M | 57th | SEN | 26th | 00:37:47 |
| 72nd | 336 | Andrew Deighton | M | 63rd | V50 | 12th | 00:38:35 |
| 74th | 516 | Gem Stilliard | F | 10th | V40 | 2nd | 00:38:40 |
| 88th | 404 | Luke Edwardes-evans | M | 75th | V50 | 14th | 00:40:15 |
| 98th | 490 | Nick Pierce | M | 83rd | V60 | 2nd | 00:40:47 |
| 111st | 402 | Paul Eames | M | 92nd | V60 | 4th | 00:41:55 |
| 122nd | 186 | Clare Andrew | F | 21st | V40 | 5th | 00:42:43 |
| 126th | 497 | Stella Richardson | F | 23rd | V60 | 1st | 00:43:03 |
| 127th | 496 | Peter Richardson | M | 104th | V60 | 5th | 00:43:04 |
| 152nd | 531 | Carol Tsang | F | 35th | V40 | 10th | 00:45:04 |
| 159th | 481 | Gary Oreilly | M | 120th | V50 | 24th | 00:45:16 |
| 160th | 459 | Philip Long | M | 121st | V60 | 7th | 00:45:24 |
| 163rd | 638 | Jonathan Rickards | M | 123rd | V60 | 9th | 00:45:53 |
| 170th | 329 | Mark Crowhurst | M | 126th | V50 | 25th | 00:46:42 |
| 171st | 457 | Susan Liu Jones | F | 45th | V40 | 15th | 00:46:58 |
| 173rd | 502 | Jane Roome | F | 47th | V40 | 16th | 00:47:08 |
| 177th | 442 | Lucille Joannes | F | 50th | V60 | 2nd | 00:47:40 |